Godead

I (Act One)

                                                Act I : Death and Rebirth

Claude lay on an old park bench, staring at the sky as the sun set off on the horizon. The hour was late, and the park was mostly empty. It was a week since the seventeen-year-old ran away from home, and he was already fresh out of cash. His stomach growled, hands tingling as he felt weak from hunger. He knew he needed food, but was simply too tired to move. He slowly closed his eyes, drifting into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he found himself lying in a wide open field. The sun was high, shining down from a clear blue sky. The weather was pleasant; as if the crispness of fall had just arrived. Birds were singing, and the sound of insects chirping filled the air. Claude watched the clouds drift by, lounging without a care in the world.

Suddenly, the clouds broke apart, thunder clapping as the sky turned red. Claude froze in shock, watching as the grass turned black. It bent and broke apart, shaping into what looked like twitching snakes. Claude tried to stand, but countless hands burst out from the ground. They grabbed him as he ran, pulling him deep into the earth.

Suddenly, Claude's eyes shot open. He awoke in a cold sweat, noticing it was pitch now dark. He slowly sat up, sliding off the old wooden bench. He squinted his eyes, scratching at his messy blond hair. He wandered through the dark and left the park, noticing that the streets were oddly deserted. At first, he thought little of it, but the further he walked, the more he began to grow tense. As he approached an intersection, he noticed the traffic lights blinking orange. He looked all around, noticing that the streets were free of cars in every direction.

As Claude continued down the sidewalk, an eery noise came from nearby. A moaning sound, low and sustained echoed through the crisp night air. As Claude looked across the street, the shadowy silhouette of a woman shuffled forth. Her arms were outstretched as she moved, entering the orange light of the streets. As her face came into view, Claude froze, watching in shock as she approached.

The woman was listless and bloodied, mouth gaping open as her eyes stared ahead at nothing. Flies buzzed around her--the putrid stench of death hanging thick in the air. As she approached through the darkness, Claude took a few steps back.

"Uhh... miss?" he said warily. The woman said nothing, continuing to shamble forth as her moans increased. The closer she got, the faster she moved. As she came within several feet, Claude paused, stepping further away. "Are you... okay?"

The woman gave a ghastly moan, suddenly raising her arms and darting forth. Her limbs twitched with inhuman speed, her gait altogether repulsive. As she swiftly closed in, Claude turned around, making a hasty escape.

Claude ran as fast as he could, heart pounding as he raced down the street. His feet slammed against the pavement, legs burning as he rushed to escape. After passing several blocks, he looked back, noticing he'd fled his pursuer. He slowly came to a stop, catching his breath as he leaned against a telephone pole. He cringed, getting a splinter from its rough wooden surface. He wasn't sure what was happening, but by now, one thing was clear.

Something was very, very wrong.

He continued down the sidewalk, stomach growling as he began to feel dizzy. Sprinting wasn't his thing, not to mention he was running on empty as it is. As he wearily looked down the street, he spotted several people off in the distance. Claude watched in silence, observing their strange behavior. They lumbered about, swarming around a burning truck like moths to a flame.

Just then, a high pitched scream broke through the night. Claude looked to his left, staring down a dark alleyway. The boy sprung into action, quickly following the screams behind a building. He turned a blind corner, abruptly stopping dead in his tracks. He silently looked on, spotting a young girl surrounded by a group of strangers. They all groaned and moaned, creeping their way toward her.

"Aiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee! Help! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!" she shrieked. She trembled in fright, suddenly catching eyes with Claude from across the alleyway. Claude froze in place.

He knew he had to act fast.

"Hang on!" he replied, quickly looking around for something to use.

He bent down, picking up a rusty pipe from some rubble. As a fellow in a suit neared the girl, Claude rushed over, beating the man's skull with the pipe. Blood spattered across the wall, the stranger giving a low, dreary groan. As the man fell to the ground, the others looked on, moaning as they edged their way forth.

"Come on!" Claude said, grabbing the girl's hand as they swiftly scurried out of the alley. The strangers all snarled, clumsily giving chase moments later. The gang ran after the two, the alleyway filled with a symphony of grunts and wails.

Claude and the girl fled at top speed, dashing over piles of rubbish and debris. The alleyway reeked of trash, but was nothing compared to the stench of decay coming from their pursuers. Claude and the girl looked back, slowing their pace as they came to a stop.

"I... I think we lost 'em," Claude said, catching his breath as the girl did the same. Claude gave a pause, looking down at the frightened girl. "...Hey. It's alright. We're safe, now," he said quietly. He turned her direction, crouching down to her eye level. "What's your name?" he asked. The girl hesitated, blinking twice as she clutched a stuffed rabbit.

"...M—Misty," she replied softly, voice cracked and trembling.

"Misty, huh? Cool name. I'm Claude. Nice to meet you," he said. Misty weakly paused, staring up at the tall boy before her. He gave a warm smile, his calm demeanor somehow reassuring. He then stood up, looking around before shaking his head. "...Geez. Just what the heck is happening in this city, anyway?" he asked. Misty briefly hesitated, looking off to the side.

"I... I don't know. I was just in the backyard playing when dad came outside. He was making all these weird noises and stuff. He smelled really bad, and kept reaching out to grab me. I ran into the house, and that's when I saw mom doing the same thing in the living room. When she came at me, I screamed and ran away from the house. That's when I noticed everyone else acting weird...," Misty explained.

"I see. Well don't worry now, Misty. I'll keep you safe no matter what. Deal?" Claude asked with a smile. Misty blinked twice, feeling a small blush on her cheeks.